"Diner...Evolved"

Steelhead Diner - Eclectic Pacific Northwest (4.5 Stars)
http://www.steelheaddiner.com

Had I known ahead of time that a sunny Saturday in Seattle would lead to the Pacific Place IMAX theater being sold out for hours on end, and had I known about Steelhead Diner before dinner that day, I would have suggested eating at *least* two meals there: one before, then after, a movie at Pacific Place. Fortunately, Christopher knew all about it and I was eager to try out his recommendation.

After briefly perusing the "diner" menu posted to the right of the restaurant's entrance, I was excited about how many of the dishes sounded so good! We entered through two large doors and were quickly greeted by the hostess who informed us they were fully booked for the evening unless we wanted to sit at the kitchen bar or the central bar. We chose central bar which was a slender, 20-feet (or longer) table of shared "bar" seating that ran the length of the restaurant. From one side it offers a great view of the chefs in the kitchen while the other side offers beautiful views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic mountains. (By contrast, the kitchen bar actually runs the length of the kitchen and you sit less than two feet away from the chefs preparing your meal.)

In seeing there were so many dishes we both wanted to try, we ended up ordering and sharing four. We decided on options from the savory starters, soups and salads, and vegetables and legumes portions of the menu, though they also have sections for sandwiches, field and stream, and sweet nothings (the dessert offerings).

The first dish we started with wasn't ordered: various Homemade Bread with Chilled Herb Oil Butter. I didn't really have high expectations of good "bread and butter" given they're as ubiquitous as chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant. However, the bread was actually amazing and I simply couldn't get enough of the butter. The two breads they served were a cheddar sourdough and a light rye.

The cheddar bread was loaded with herbs and plenty of cheese and was soft on the inside with a slightly chewy crust. The rye bread had an even more chewy crust with firmer innards and lots of rye seeds throughout. Both were fresh and whet our appetites for more, especially when coupled with the large triangle "pat" of butter topped with herbs and olive oil. Not only could you dip your bread in the oil, but the double dose of oil and butter was absolutely perfect and definitely unexpected.

The first ordered item that arrived was the Jumbo Lump Dungeness Crab Cake. Typically, crab cakes are a disappointment for me as they either have far too much mayonnaise or breadcrumbs. Steelhead's crab cake was a definite exception as it could barely contain the huge pieces of crab meat held together by scallions and Sauce Louis (think spicy chili mayonnaise) and topped with crispy parsley. It is the most expensive appetizer on their menu (a full dollar more than the Caviar Pie), but was easily large enough for the two of us to share. The Sauce Louis is quite spicy and very flavorful, though it managed to enhance and not mask the sweet richness of the Dungeness crab. In all, just perfect.

From the soup and salad menu, we ordered the La Ribolita. This hearty, chunky, vegetarian Italian soup was chalk full of white beans, black beans, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and spinach, and was circled by fresh and chewy torn garlic bread and fruity olive oil. The vegetables were cooked perfectly as they still had great texture and could be tasted separately. This large bowl was about the same price as the crab cake and more than enough to serve two. This soup would be an excellent choice for vegetarians or anyone who wants a hearty, filling entree replacement that won't weigh you down.

The Jumbo Asparagus with Marcona Almonds and Crispy Capers was next. I had never heard of "jumbo asparagus" before and firmly held the belief that asparagus too thick was woody and chewy and bad. These couldn't have proven that theory more wrong. The thick, chunky, diagonal cuts of asparagus were a perfect match to the large Marcona almonds and held up well against the salty, fried pops of crispy capers. Even after trying each dish on the table, both Christopher and I kept coming back to the asparagus as our favorite dish on the table. Christopher even mentioned: "I just want more of that taste in my mouth!"

Our final choice for dinner was something we hoped would be decadent (and we chose it instead of a dessert): the Baked Macaroni (think macaroni and cheese). Grana Padano and Sharp Cheddar Cheese marry beautifully in a traditional bechamel sauce. The pasta is then baked to caramelize the top and served in a ramekin just large enough to feed two if you're sampling more than one dish.

While the sauce was rich, I felt the flavor was a bit too singular. The Grana Padano offered too much bite and left me thinking "This is Parmesan macaroni". I wish the dish would have been rounded out with Fontina, Jack, or even Gruyere for more depth and less sharpness. Even something like fresh cracked black pepper would have helped. This is the only reason the review is 4.5 Stars instead of 5 Stars. (It's tough for me to award 5 Stars when I happen to like my own recipe for Mac 'n Cheese a lot more than the restaurant's.)

With nearly 50 constantly rotated menu items, Steelhead Diner is certainly a "must recommend" restaurant for me. In fact, I haven't stopped talking about it and have already recommended it to at least 10 friends.

Zeena, Warrior Princess?

Zeena's - American Diner Fare (2.5 Stars)

With a name like Zeena’s, you’d expect leather outfits complete with sorcerer staves and axes, macho men in scantily clad war vestments (yes, please!), and ladies with bigger muscles than should be allowed in the natural world. Oddly enough, given the restaurant’s location is just off Capitol Hill, I’m sure you could find all of those things given the right parade. Maybe even in the same float if you’re really lucky.

As for breakfast, all three of us (Chris, Ryan, and I) enjoy, well, love…breakfast. And brunch. But honestly, it really boils down to the bacon. We love bacon! Which usually means that regardless of whether we order eggs, sausage, biscuits, or pancakes, a side of bacon is never far behind.

Fortunately, Zeena’s had a special: Banana Bread French Toast which made Chris’ day. Well, until he tried it. The half order was three slices (not sure who could complete a six-slice full order as the slices are big), but the bread doesn’t have nuts so it’s like a fluffy, cheaper version of the bread classic most everyone knows and loves. Of course, Chris ordered a side of bacon.

Ryan decided he absolutely had to eat Pancakes, Eggs, and Bacon, so he ordered two large pancakes and I gave him one of my blueberry pancakes in hopes it would tide him over. Along with his two scrambled eggs and large side of bacon, Ryan polished off his pancakes and decided the “average and mediocre” fare was filling, but thankfully inexpensive.

I had visions of grandeur when I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak because Geraldine’s is so amazing. However, the crust was too thick, the beef a bit chewy, and the runny sausage gravy used oddly jiggly sausage. I would not recommend this to anyone.

I would say the Bluebery Pancake I ate was pretty good, large and relatively fluffy, and there were a ton of "fresh" blueberries. I had expected some kind of canned pie filling compote on top instead of what were probably frozen but still held lots of blueberry flavor.

Overall, Zeena’s is probably best if you’re hungover as the fare’s greatly average and there are far tastier choices for about the same price range. And the coffee is see-through. Yeah, I don't get it either.

Oh How I Love Thee, Geraldine

Geraldine's Counter - American Classics (5 Stars)
http://www.geraldinescounter.com

Chris and a co-manager friend of his from Starbucks invited me to have brunch with them. As always, I suggested Geraldine's since they were in my neck of the woods. I've mentioned it before, but Geraldine's Counter is delicious and our Saturday rendezvous there proved to be no exception.

Somehow, Geraldine's chef staff manage to make their French Toast (this time with fresh strawberries) crispy and fried and delicious, yet moist and savory. I'm pretty sure they deep-fry the custard-soaked bread because it's a wonderfully unusual texture and you can't help but lick your plate clean! It's always served with 100% pure maple syrup and usually berries or fruit of some sort.

For me, only the Chicken Fried Steak would do (oddly enough, it's not listed on their online menu). The steak is thinly pounded and the coating thick (but not "bread-like") and crispy. The sausage gravy is chunky and plentiful and my scrambled eggs were moist, light, and fluffy. I typically ask for no hashbrowns (theirs are long and shredded and so delicious when extra crispy) and instead got a side of fruit (melon, pineapple, and grapes). (As an aside, I realize the plate may appear a bit empty. Remember, I got the fruit on a separate plate instead of the hashbrowns, and, to be honest, the plates are actually quite large. There's definitely more than enough food here for one.)

We were promptly seated, had great service (as usual), and the food was wonderful. You just can't go wrong with Geraldine's!

Eats (Market) Meets West (Seattle)

Eats Market Cafe - American Fare (3.5 Stars)
http://www.eatsmarket.com

While running errands on Saturday in preparation for Ryan's "do-over" Holiday party, we stopped at Eats for a pre-shopping-blitz brunch. The atmosphere is "cafe" (though well-lit and clean) and it was packed the entire time we were dining.

The Eats menu features "handmade seasonal comforting foods and pastries that are nourishing for both the body and soul". Brioche French Toast, Fried Egg Sandwich with Bacon and Chevre, Market Veggie sandwich with herb cream cheese and pumpkin seeds, Warm Parmesan Herb Souffle, Chickpea Fries, and the Fallen Chocolate Souffle are just a few of the eclectic dishes that provide more obvious nods to the co-owners' graduation from culinary school.

Ryan ordered The Double Decker Grilled Cheese: three toasted slices of sourdough bread with cheddar and provolone cheeses along with his add-in option of thinly sliced ham. The sandwich size was ample and the texture extra chewy so your jaw will definitely be put through its paces. All sandwiches are served with homemade coleslaw (creamy, peppery, not-tangy; actually quite good) and very large dill pickle spear. He enjoyed the sandwich but said, "I forgot this thing had three slices of bread" when it arrived. If you're watching carbs, this probably isn't the menu item for you.

To compliment his sandwich, Ryan also ordered and finished a cup of the delicious Market Soup of the day: a creamy cheddar potato soup with lots of chunky potatoes and extra cheddary goodness. The soup does come with a couple slices of fresh-baked, crusty, chewy bread that makes for excellent dipping into the delicous, hearty soup.

With fresh tomatoes, basil, mushrooms, onions, and four large eggs, the daily special Fritata seemed like a sure winner. The serving was actually quite large and the flavors excellent. Unfortunately, I asked to substitute fresh mozzarella cheese for the goat cheese and that wasn't done. The Scrambled Eggs with mixed veggies (tomatoes, onions, spinach, mushrooms, and topped with cheddar), brought after my request to have the Fritata taken back to the kitchen, was as moist and light and fluffy as scrambled eggs should be. In all fairness, the waiter admitted the cheese substitution mistake was his fault and comped the Fritata.

While many of the seasonal ingredients and unusual cafe fare ingredients may be interesting to foodies and non-foodies alike, the overall takeaway is well-prepared comfort food worth the $8-$10 per entree.